Johnny Depp is returning to Hollywood in a big way with Ebenezer, and considering everything that's happened in his career over the last several years, I've been curious to see how audiences respond. The actor is playing one of literature's most famously unpleasant characters in a new adaptation of A Christmas Carol, which arrives on the 2026 movie schedule this Friday. But apparently some theater executives aren't particularly worried about Depp being the reason people stay home.
According to Variety, theater owners are cautiously optimistic about the holiday movie, which marks Depp's first major Hollywood studio film in eight years. Based on the first look at his transformation into Ebenezer Scrooge, he's clearly embracing the character's unpleasant side. While his return certainly comes with some baggage, Regal CEO Eduardo Acuña thinks the actor and the material are a pretty natural fit. He explained:
I’m optimistic for a few reasons. Even though this story predates him, it feels like the character was written for Johnny Depp. And it’s good IP from a very distinctive filmmaker.
I have to agree with him about the casting. The Edward Scissorhands star has spent much of his time on screen playing eccentric characters who aren't always particularly pleasant company. Between Willy Wonka, the Mad Hatter and Captain Jack Sparrow, the man has practically built a career out of making weirdos entertaining. Playing Ebenezer Scrooge seems right up his alley.
Then there's director Ti West, whose work on X, Pearl and MaXXXine makes me especially curious about what he'll do with Charles Dickens' ghosts. He's had some serious praise for the actor's take on Scrooge, which only makes me more interested in seeing the finished movie. The filmmaker has leaned into the story's supernatural elements, and I've already been impressed by how much personality Depp brings to the character in the trailers.
Of course, the bigger conversation involves whether moviegoers are willing to embrace the 21 Jump Street breakout again. His career was significantly affected by his legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard, including allegations of domestic abuse and their highly publicized defamation trial in 2022. Since then, he's worked primarily on smaller international projects, including Jeanne du Barry. We recently covered how one of that film's producers believes Depp is poised for a Hollywood comeback, and if theater operators are right, his past controversies might play a smaller role in Ebenezer's box office performance than some expect.
Classic Cinemas CEO Chris Johnson told the outlet that the bigger question is whether audiences find this particular adaptation compelling. After all, we've seen Scrooge countless times before, from Alastair Sim's 1951 performance to Bill Murray's wonderfully ridiculous turn in Scrooged. Disney even spent about $200 million to bring Jim Carrey's animated version to theaters in 2009.
There's also the matter of money. According to reports, Ebenezer cost approximately $38 million to produce, with another $50 million spent on marketing. Depp reportedly accepted a $5 million salary, considerably less than the enormous paychecks he commanded during his Pirates of the Caribbean years, which could help explain Paramount's relatively cautious approach.
The movie is currently tracking toward a $20 million domestic opening weekend, with another $20 million expected overseas. Those aren't Pirates numbers, but nobody seems to be expecting them, either.
Personally, I think the executives make a fair point. There are only so many ways to tell A Christmas Carol, and audiences have plenty of versions to revisit every December. Depp's name will undoubtedly get people talking, but whether they recommend this particular adaptation afterward is another matter. At least his co-stars seem confident they've made something worthwhile. Rupert Grint previously praised his performance, while suggesting that West's take on the familiar story offers something different.
Ebenezer opens in theaters Nov. 13. I'm curious to see whether West and the former leading man can make an old Christmas ghost story feel fresh again. And if audiences don't show up, I suspect Hollywood will have plenty to argue about besides the man playing Scrooge.
